Hare Krsna– I have been studying the economic world situation lately and have been listening to one very smart man who very nicely explains world economics in a way the common man can understand and he sells gold/silver bullion and coins.
As we all know Srila Prabhupada has also spoken out against paper currency as a form of cheating in kali yuga but he also condones the use of gold or silver coinage as a form of commodities transactions needed in normal day to day living.
Also explained is the story of Sanatana goswami who was almost murdered because his traveling companion and servant, was carrying 7 pieces of gold.
That being said, the following quotes and videos are important presentations for devotees to understand and do the needful-especially in these uncertain times
damaghosa das
SB 1.17.39-The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity.
PURPORT-Although Mahārāja Parīkṣit gave Kali permission to live in four places, it was very difficult for him to find the places because during the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were no such places. Therefore Kali asked the King to give him something practical which could be utilized for his nefarious purposes. Mahārāja Parīkṣit thus gave him permission to live in a place where there is gold, because wherever there is gold there are all the above-mentioned four things, and over and above them there is enmity also. So the personality of Kali became gold-standardized. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, gold encourages falsity, intoxication, prostitution, envy and enmity. Even a gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of the state economy. The price of commodities becomes artificially inflated because of bad money, or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money. Instead of paper currency, actual gold coins should be used for exchange, and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control, not by quality, but by quantity. This will discourage lust, envy and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold in producing falsity, prostitution, etc., will automatically cease. There will be no need of an anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose.
Madhya lila 20. 19-30
The palmist said, “This man Sanātana possesses eight gold coins.” Hearing this, the landlord was very pleased and spoke the following to Sanātana Gosvāmī.
The landlord said,”I shall get you across that hilly tract at night with my own men. Now just take your lunch and cook for yourself.”
Saying this, the landlord offered Sanātana grains to cook. Sanātana then went to the riverside and took his bath.
Because Sanātana had been fasting for two days, he cooked the food and ate it. However, having formerly been a minister of the Nawab, he began to contemplate the situation.
As a former minister for the Nawab, Sanātana could certainly understand diplomacy. He therefore thought,”Why is this landlord offering me such respect?” Thinking in this way, he questioned his servant, whose name was Īśāna.
Sanātana asked his servant,”Īśāna, I think you have some valuable things with you.” Īśāna replied,”Yes, I have seven gold coins.”
Hearing this, Sanātana Gosvāmī chastised his servant, saying,”Why have you brought this death knell with you?”
Thereupon, Sanātana Gosvāmī took the seven gold coins in his hands and went to the landlord. Holding the gold coins before him, he spoke as follows.
“I have these seven gold coins with me. Please accept them, and from a religious point of view please get me across that hilly tract of land.
“I am a prisoner of the government, and I cannot go along the way of the ramparts. It will be very pious of you to take this money and kindly get me across this hilly tract of land.”
Smiling, the landlord said, “Before you offered them, I already knew that there were eight gold coins in your servant’s possession.
“On this very night I would have killed you and taken your coins. It is very good that you have voluntarily offered them to me. I am now relieved from such a sinful activity.
Some conclusions-In normal times we need some form of money with which to go about our daily business. Paper or fiat currency is not really of any value-its just paper printed up by every world government to make them richer and us more poor. The below videos explain this concept very nicely. As the paper value (by introducing more of it in the markets) decreases its value we become stuck with needing more paper bills to pay for items. So prices go up and we become more poor. So for us individually it takes us more time and energy to get the same things gotten formerly more easily. Therefore our wealth and freedoms are curtailed by this fiat paper money system. Prabhupada calls this government prostitution. So this can all be stopped by introducing actual silver and gold coins.
The second thing we introduced was the story of Santana goswami who also used gold coins, but eventually found them to be his death knell-almost. So as with everything in this material world, we have to understand its proper utility. The vedas state that attachment to women and wealth are everyone’s death knell,but at the same time they can be used in Krsna’s service.
We have to learn how to get close to the fire- get the heat-but not be burnt by it.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
ps-it is also interesting that Srila Prabhupada studied economics in his college days….
Videos to watch on this important topic……
Videos to watch on this important topic